There are both bush and vine varieties of black-eyed peas. Plant the vines about 2 feet apart. You can simply broadcast the bush types or plant them every 2 to 3 inches. As members of the legume family of plants, black-eyed peas will benefit from an application of a soil inoculant before you plant the seeds.
Are black-eyed peas bush or pole beans?
While there are dozens of types of cowpeas to grow at home, most of the black-eyed peas available commercially tend to be the popular ‘California Black Eye,’ a bush variety. It produces six- to eight-inch pods, grows 16 to 18 inches tall and spreads about 10 inches at maturity.
Do black-eyed peas need a trellis?
Plant the seeds 1 inch deep, spaced 2 inches apart within rows; rows should be at least 3 feet apart. When the first leaves appear, thin to 4 inch plant spacing. Grow black eyed peas on supports such as trellises or tripods.
Are cowpeas pole or Bush?
Different varieties of cowpeas have different growing habits. Some cowpeas climb like pole beans while others form compact plants like bush beans.
Do peas need a pole to climb?
Peas need a trellis for climbing.
Some of these vines have tendrils (peas, passionvine, cucumbers). Others wrap around things with the main stem. Since peas have evolved to climb and ramble up over other vegetation, we often will give them support — trellises — to climb in the garden.
How deep are black-eyed pea roots?
Growing Black-Eyed Peas
That ability to cope with minimal water is because of their taproots, which can be as much as 8 feet deep. Your plants won’t need irrigation once they’re established.
How long do black-eyed peas produce?
60 to 90 days
Harvesting Black-Eyed Peas
Information that comes with seeds of black-eyed peas will indicate how many days until maturity, typically 60 to 90 days after planting. Harvest for several days to a few weeks, depending on the variety you have planted.
What grows good with black-eyed peas?
Some good companion plants are beans, carrots, corn, cucumber, radishes, and turnips. Do not plant with garlic, onions, or potatoes.
How many peas will one plant produce?
Pea plants usually produce 5 or 6 peas in each pod.
How long does it take black-eyed peas to sprout?
between 5 to 14 days
How Long Does It Take Black-Eyed Peas to Sprout? Germinating does not take very long, and black-eyed peas sprout fast like beans, usually taking between 5 to 14 days.
Are cowpeas the same as black-eyed peas?
Black-eyed peas (Vigna unguiculata) are a variety of the cowpea and are part of the family of beans & peas (Leguminosae or Fabaceae in the USA). Although called a pea, it is actually a bean. Both peas and beans are legumes, and both have edible seeds and pods.
Can you plant black-eyed peas from the grocery store?
Assuming you get black-eyed peas that aren’t already cooked, then yes, they should be able to be grown in your garden. Most beans sold by the pound (bulk) in stores aren’t sprayed or treated with anything, so they can grow if you get the right one. You need dried beans that are still in the pod.
Can you eat black eyed pea leaves?
Black eyed pea leaves can be eaten! Sweet potato leaves, okra leaves, are also edible! In West Africa cassava leaves join these as traditional vegetables along with wild and other cultivated greens! Black eyed peas symbolize the eye of G-d.
What is the best way to support peas?
Most peas, apart from dwarf cultivars, need supports to scramble up. For taller varieties, trellis, bamboo canes and netting are ideal, while smaller varieties can be supported with pea netting or pea sticks (twiggy branches).
What is the difference between pole beans and bush beans?
Bush beans grow compactly (reaching about two-feet tall) and do not require extra support from a structure like a trellis. Pole beans grow as climbing vines that may reach 10 to 15 feet tall and require a trellis or staking.
What is the best trellis for peas?
Chicken Wire A-Frame
This construction allows flexibility of width in the garden and flat winter storage. Unruly chicken wire is contained when attached to the frame, and the trellis can be used for years to come. This is a good trellis for peas, shorter beans, and vining flowers.
Why do we eat black-eyed peas for New Years?
Today, the tradition of eating black-eyed peas for the New Year has evolved, as many traditions do, into a number of variations – but most hold the theme of luck and prosperity that harkens back to the Civil War days when people felt lucky to have black-eyed peas to eat and help them survive through the winter.
What do black-eyed peas mean on New Years?
According to legendary Southern food researcher John Egerton’s Southern Food: At Home, On the Road, In History, black-eyed peas are associated with a “mystical and mythical power to bring good luck.” As for collard greens, they’re green like money and will ensure you a financially prosperous new year.
Why do Southerners eat black-eyed peas?
Why Are Black Eyed Peas Good Luck? The practice of eating black-eyed peas for luck is generally believed to date back to the Civil War. Originally they were used as food for livestock and later as a food staple for enslaved people in the South.
How often should you water black-eyed peas?
Black-eyed peas have tap roots, which reach down deeper into the soil to access water and nutrients that other plants can’t get to. They can be as long as eight feet! This doesn’t necessarily mean you can forgo watering altogether, though. They grow best if they have roughly an inch of water each week.
How do you fertilize black-eyed peas?
Apply a low-nitrogen fertilizer to the soil 10 days before planting seeds. A fertilizer labeled 5-10-10 is the best choice because the legumes fix nitrogen in the soil. Work the fertilizer into the soil rather than applying it only to the top. This makes the nutrients more available as the plant produces roots.